Nick Pugliese is an American actor, writer, and producer who is best known for playing Charley in the supernatural drama series School Spirits.
Charley is a ghost with a warm sense of humor, and fans quickly made him a favorite. That breakout role turned a working young actor into a name people search for.
Below, you will find his age, early life, career path, personal life, and estimated net worth, all in one clear guide.
Quick Answer
Nick Pugliese is a 29-year-old American actor, writer, and producer, born on August 5, 1996, in Oakland, California. He is best known as Charley in School Spirits, and his estimated net worth is around $700,000 from television, film, and writing work.
Who Is Nick Pugliese?
Nick Pugliese is a television and film actor who also writes and produces his own projects. He grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and trained in theatre before moving into screen work.
His public profile rose sharply when School Spirits premiered in 2023. In the show, he plays Charley, a teenage ghost from the 1990s who helps the lead character make sense of the afterlife.
School Spirits fans also follow other celebrity stories on this site, such as Selena Gomez and Jeff Greene. Like those profiles, this guide sticks to facts that are publicly reported.
| Detail | Nick Pugliese |
|---|---|
| Full name | Nick Pugliese |
| Born | August 5, 1996, Oakland, California |
| Age in 2026 | 29 years old |
| Profession | Actor, writer, producer |
| Best known for | Charley in School Spirits |
| Nationality | American |
Early Life and Education
Nick Pugliese was born on August 5, 1996, in Oakland, California. He spent his childhood in the Bay Area, in a family that supported creative interests from an early age.
He has an older brother named Alex, and the two grew up together in California. Nick has spoken about learning from both sides of his family background as he grew older.
His father is of Italian American heritage, while his mother is Japanese American. That mixed background has shaped how he thinks about identity, a theme that also appears in his creative work.
Nick started performing when he was around eight years old. He joined a children’s repertory theatre program at Fairyland Park in Oakland and kept acting in school and community productions.
After high school, he studied Theatre Arts at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. The training gave him stage skills, confidence, and a network of young actors, writers, and directors, and thier support helped him keep going through slow early years.
Career and Breakthrough Roles
Nick Pugliese entered professional screen acting shortly after college. His first television credit came in 2017, when he played Larry Kotter in one episode of the Netflix drama 13 Reasons Why.
The part was small, but it put him on a major set early. He learned how television production works, and the credit helped him get seen by casting teams in Los Angeles.
His indie film breakthrough followed in Dramarama, released in 2020. Nick played Gene, a theatre-loving teenager facing graduation and big life changes, and his perfomance won praise from independent film audiences.
The film explored friendship, identity, and growing up. It showed that Nick could carry emotional scenes, not just light comic moments, and it built his credibility as a film actor.
During the pandemic, when acting work slowed down, Nick started making his own projects. He co-wrote and co-starred in the short film Thank You for Being Here in 2021, and he later co-wrote and co-produced the short film Junket.
That creative turn mattered. Making his own work kept him sharp, and it later helped him land bigger roles, because casting teams could see his range and his writing voice.
His major breakthrough arrived with School Spirits in 2023. As Charley, a ghost who died in the 1990s, he mixes humor with real sadness, and viewers connected with the character fast.
Watch a cast interview with Nick Pugliese about School Spirits here:
The show returned for further seasons, and Charley remained a fan favorite. For a young actor, a steady series role like this is a career anchor, giving him both income and visibility.
| Year | Project | Role or work |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 13 Reasons Why | Larry Kotter, one episode |
| 2020 | Dramarama | Gene |
| 2021 | Thank You for Being Here | Actor, co-writer, producer |
| 2023 to present | School Spirits | Charley |
| 2024 | Barden and Sarah Start a Pandemic | Barden |
| 2025 | Junket (short film) | Co-writer, co-producer |
Net Worth and Earnings
Nick Pugliese has an estimated net worth of around $700,000 as of 2026. No official figure has been published, so this number comes from online estimates based on his television and film work.
Most of his income comes from acting. A regular role on a streaming series is far more valuable than one-off guest spots, because it pays across a season and raises his rate for future work.
Writing and producing bring in smaller amounts for now. Still, owning a piece of a project can pay off later, especially if a short film travels to festivals or streaming platforms.
Net worth figures for public figures are always estimates, as we also note in our profile of Dee Dee Gatton. Taxes, agents, managers, and living costs all sit between gross pay and real wealth.
For Nick, the trend matters more than the exact number. His earnings should keep rising if School Spirits continues and if his writing projects find wider audiences.
Personal Life
Nick Pugliese is open about being part of the LGBTQ community and identifies as queer. He has spoken in interviews about wanting queer characters in every kind of story, not only in stories about being queer.
At the same time, he keeps his private relationships mostly out of public view. There is no confirmed public information about a current partner, and he rarely discusses dating in interviews.
In a 2025 interview, he said he was in his first relationship and was still learning how to give and receive love. He did not name his partner, and fans have largely respected that boundary.
Nick does not have children, based on all public reports. His public focus remains acting, writing, and producing, along with advocacy for better representation on screen.
His height is reported at about 5 feet 7 inches. He is known for a casual, modern style off screen, quite different from the 1990s look of his School Spirits character.
Social Media
Nick Pugliese is active on Instagram as @nickpug, with over 77,000 followers. His posts mix behind-the-scenes photos, travel moments, and updates about his projects with friends.
Fans drop short reactions in comments, and if you see SMH in a thread, our SMH meaning guide explains it. That kind of shorthand is now a normal part of fan conversations online.
The post above comes from his verified official Instagram account @nickpug, sharing School Spirits season 4 news for 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Nick Pugliese?
Nick Pugliese is 29 years old in 2026. He was born on August 5, 1996, in Oakland, California.
What is Nick Pugliese best known for?
He is best known for playing Charley, a ghost from the 1990s, in the supernatural drama series School Spirits, which premiered in 2023.
What is Nick Pugliese’s net worth?
His estimated net worth is around $700,000 as of 2026, based on online estimates from his television, film, and writing work. No official figure has been published.
Is Nick Pugliese on Instagram?
Yes, Nick Pugliese is active on Instagram as @nickpug, where he shares behind-the-scenes photos, travel moments, and updates about his projects.
Conclusion
Nick Pugliese has built his career the steady way, from childhood theatre to a breakout streaming role. His path shows patience, hard work, and a willingness to create his own projects when auditions dried up.
At 29, with School Spirits behind him and writing credits growing, his future looks bright. The next few years will show whether he moves into leading film roles or builds a career as both actor and writer.
For now, the simple verdict is this: a rising talent worth watching, with talent, timing, and a loyal fan base on his side.